Ways to plan your dream wedding on a budget
The castle, ballgown, banquet...it’s all part of the picture perfect fairytale wedding day we grow up with on the big screen. Still, getting married is still considered to be one of the most exciting days of your life but with the average wedding in the UK now costing £27,161, for many people the cost simply isn’t realistic.
If you’re planning your big day and looking for savvy ways to save and stick to your budget, keep reading. Think of me as your wedding budget fairy godmother!
Prioritise your budget
For every couple, the dream wedding day will look slightly different and it’s important to figure out what really matters to you before you start hitting Pinterest or Googling venues. Think about all of the aspects of the wedding, and list out your order or priority. Is the type of venue you choose the most important element to you? Or is having all of your friends and family attend number one? Do you need to have a brand new designer outfit, or could you rent or recycle one that’s preloved? There are so many possibilities, so start by working out where to focus your budget.
Flexibility can save you thousands
It’s no secret that if you want to get married on a Saturday in summer, you’ll probably be looking at the most expensive option available. With the unpredictable weather in the UK, couples often gamble on summer months being most likely to deliver sunshine, whereas winter weddings can almost guarantee grey skies. That being said, winter wonderland themed weddings can be very romantic, and choosing low-season dates can slice venue costs by anywhere up to half of those in summer. Equally, weekday weddings - although they often risk more guests being unable to attend - can save you thousands of pounds and bag you your dream venue.
Economical and environmentally friendly? It is possible!
The rise in wedding dress rental has come at the perfect time, when awareness of the environmental crisis we’re facing is at an all time high and wedding costs are still spiralling upwards. Rather than spending the several thousand pounds often required for a brand new wedding dress, companies such as HURR and By Rotation (to name a few) are pioneering wedding dress rental, allowing brides to borrow a designer wedding dress for the weekend at a fraction of the price in stores. This way, you get the dream dress, help out the environment with less material waste and save yourself a chunk of cash.
For a deep dive into the question ‘have we lost the plot with the cost of weddings?’ check out this episode of Money Unfiltered with luxury planner Matthew Shaw of Sauveur Studios.